As Evan's family stood in each other's embrace, the silence carried the unspoken words and years of regret that were shared through their hearts.
Claire felt as if she could finally breathe, the weight lifting off her heart as she clung tightly to her son.
Roy's hand rested on Evan's back, gentle but firm, bridging the distance of years and missed moments. They stood like that, each wrapped in the warmth and solace of the moment.
Gradually, Evan stepped back, composing himself as he wiped a faint hint of emotion from his face. He looked at them, his gaze filled with a newfound depth of understanding, yet something held him back—an invisible wall between the past he had overcome and the family he wanted to reconnect with.
Noticing the shadows in his expression, Claire reached for his hand. "Evan… if you ever feel that you want to share with us what happened, or… how you felt through it all, we're here. You don't have to bear it alone anymore."
